For the 5AT cars:

2003 G35 sedan, curb weight 3,368lbs, rated at 260hp, closer to 275hp, ~220whp stock, power to weight ratio 15.3:1

2005 G35 sedan, curb weight 3,450lbs, rated at 280hp, closer to 275hp, ~220whp stock, power to weight ratio 15.7:1

2007 G35 sedan, curb weight 3532lbs, rated at 306hp, ~255whp stock, power to weight ratio 13.8:1

The 2007 clearly has the advantage in terms of power. The difference isn't huge, but in the upper mph range especially above 70mph, it's a quicker car.

 

Quick question: what is the standard definition of 'curb weight'? My G coupe weighed in at 3700 lbs. with me in it and a half tank of gas. How does this relate to the posted curb weights in this thread?

 

Curb weight is the weight of the car with fluids, no driver.

 

Before I bought any of my g35's, I was a very uninformed buyer, at least compared to today. I'm not the norm, but if I were in the market for a performance car today, I would consult with it's dedicated driver base to get the real world numbers. I would certainly expect such behavior from the "even the most educated prospective new car buyer", as you put it.

 

If I were in the market for a performance car today, I also wouldn't be looking at the G35. Not that they're lacking in performance, and I certainly wouldn't trade mine for anything in it's price range. But I'm not going to kid myself, either; it's an entry-level luxury sedan (or coupe) that puts out some great numbers while trying to keep pace with the BMW 3-series (which are also not billed as 'performance' cars). None of that is going to stop me from squeezing every last bit of performance out of my G within my budget constraints, but I doubt very much that the many loyal patrons of this forum, myself included, are representative of the majority of the people who buy G35's. As evidenced by the many, many, MANY stock G35's that I see every day. And even if I were in the market for a M5 sedan, Lotus Exige, Corvette Z06, or (insert performance car of your choice), I still don't think I'd be looking into what the whp numbers of those cars are, or what current owners have run on the dyno, because those cars do what they were designed and built to do regardless of the actual numbers. If you're in the market and can afford it, are you really going to pass up a Cayman S because somebody else has one and after dynoing and factoring in drivetrain loss, found that maybe it's only making 290ghp instead of 295ghp? I would hope not, because it's still a great car.

If you're buying a car based purely on output numbers and performance, the G35 (any year, any trim) is not the car for you, and no matter what you get you'll never be happy because next year or the year after, somebody is going to make a better car.

 

You and I are in two different places. If I were in the market for a performance related vehicle, I doubt very much that I would leave it stock. As such, the potential power return on $$$ might play a factor for me when making a purchasing decision.

For example, let's say I were looking at either an Exige or a Cayman S. I've considered all the options, and I just can't make a decision. If after research I find that the power can be extracted from the Exige at a lower price(proportionally) than the Cayman, that might sway my decision in favor of the Exige. It's called due diligence, and researching drivetrain/power characteristics of a platform should be included IMO.

Granted, this car is not a performance car, and I didn't buy this car for it's performance. But, coming from my previous vehicle(02 Chevy Avalanche), it's a damned race car.

After I purchased my 05, I got caught up in drag racing and autocrossing. Prior to that, I had no interest. So I definitely didn't purchase the car thinking it was a sports car, but I have decided that I would enjoy the performance it does offer.

 

Actually, I think you and I are in very similar places, especially looking at the mods we've done to each of our cars (I don't drag race, but I campaign my G relentlessly in the local autocross and road racing clubs). I just don't think that your average, or even above average, new car buyer is in that place. Most people are looking for 1) economy, 2) performance, 3) practicality/utility, 4) prestige, or some combination of those things, but not to the point where they're actively researching their purchase beyond what Consumer Reports, Motor Trend, and a 15-minute test drive can tell them. Maybe I'm just underestimating today's consumer and his/her ability to use the internet, but I haven't seen any posts on My350.com from potential buyers asking about dyno numbers or real-world performance.

BTW, if you ever get to point where you want a dedicated race car (or raceable street/fun car) and you don't have any hang-ups about kit cars, take a good look at FFR. I've got a Mk3 roadster that simply can't be beat by anything I've gone up against, all for about $28k.

 

335 is nasty, but i also smoked a 330 ci on i91 going up an incline

 

Holy crap what an old thread
At least he is using the search function though

 

I am feeling nostalgic more and more often on this site

 

I've raced a bmw.DOMO

 

I once raced my girlfriend when she was out running with the dog (I won but just by a hair). The dog recognized the car and started to chase, she was pretty pissed when I got home that evening, the dog dragged her for quite a while. It was almost as close as the race between Renaldo and the Veyron.

 

Timeslips? What kind of 60' did the dog pull?

 

I lost the timeslip but it was a good run. Sometimes he takes a break at the 45 foot mark to shift(-f) and that usually destroys his times but this time he pushed right through.

 

You guys are something else.